Hard Enough Chapter 219: Walking tall

There were few things in life that could dry out my happiness faster than the ntion of Lola.

The only other triggers to douse the fires of happiness in my chest that I knew of were when people hurt my family. Sothing Lance had learned, and then William had also learned.

My… well, her, was another person that sadly could be included on the list of hurting the family.

It always made it worse that she was the woman that was supposed to be their mother.

I wasn’t sure what most of the younger kids thought when people asked about their mother or when they saw other kids with normal families.

Not that the pokemon world had what I would consider a healthy take on those, due to the wanderlust that perated so much of our society.

Oddly enough, people were great at making families, but I could probably walk down a street and find at least two or three single-parent households. It didn’t surprise that it was predominantly n running off on won, but that didn’t an the opposite didn’t occur.

Hearing Flint, with that damned longing tone in his voice, like he was a growlithe calling out for his mother.

I made sothing twinge inside . “Are you going to run after her?” I bit out.

Flint twitched and for a mont his lips twitched downwards before he sighed and slumped as all the fight left him. “I… thought about it,” he admitted quietly. “But, I know I can’t. And that I shouldn’t. Lola… she needs to co back on her own. My chasing her is doing nothing but creating gulfs with you and the children.”

I felt my darkness wriggle with glee at seeing Flint so weak while also snarling that he wasn’t putting up more of a fight. I’d wanted to savage him for even yearning for Lola still.

I sighed and let the darkness go, pushing it away. “Where did… what do you know,” I said slowly.

“I got an email from the League that so old protocols had been flagged with Lola’s identity being queried from Hoenn. Apparently, Lola wandered into a rather isolated pokemon centre thinking she was in a new region entirely, only for her babbling to worry the Nurse Joy on call that evening. She ended up triggering a distress call and having Lola sedated.”

I had to fight to stop the smile that threatened to break out at the idea of Lola being sedated. It struck as oddly amusing.

In a dark manner it also seed fair that a woman that held her freedom so highly would end up tied down in a hospital bed.

Damn, but that was sinister. I took a mont to weigh up if that said more about , or the hurt that Lola had caused.

I liked to think the scales weighed more heavily on Lola’s part.

“So she’s recovering in so pokecenter in Hoenn?” I asked.

Damn, if that was the case then sothing would have to be done.

“No she broke out, stole supplies and fled,” Flint said casually.

I blinked. “She broke out? Despite being sedated?”

Flint coughed. “Your mot—” I held up a hand to signal I did not want her referenced like that to . Flint swallowed and nodded tightly. “Lola,” he said, stressing the na instead of her title. “Is a highly trained operative that was known to occasionally do things like this in the past. There’s a reason it took a few days for her whereabouts to be passed through to , despite being her ergency contact. The League had to work out who she was from a lot of redacted files before calling . Heck, they didn’t even know my na, they could only reference her as ‘Operative five’ and as her handler!”

I paused. The naming thod implied that there were four other individuals that were like Lola at least.

Four ss-up individuals that were like her. I shuddered thinking about that. One Lola was bad enough. I pitied whoever was related to the other four. If indeed there were only four.

Hmmm, that was sothing I wouldn’t have access to unless… Well, the guardians might have more information on it. They hadn’t ntioned it during my read of Lola’s file, but perhaps it was compartntalised in other files.

What would I get if I looked into Kanto ‘operatives’ I wondered.

Thoughts for later. “So, Lola is sowhere in Hoenn… or around Hoenn looking for what?”

Flint sighed. “She seems to think that she is looking for another region. She has the pokemon for this due to her powerful water speciality. Few pokemon would be able to really challenge her. Her Lapras alone is probably as stronger as yours!” he said with a pleased smile.

I sniffed. I doubted that quite a lot, but for the sake of moving this along I decided to not ntion that. “So another region? Why? What’s that about?”

Flint coughed. “I… don’t actually know which is more than a little worrying. I have put out so feelers on the coastline she was last spotted along. If she cos in again, people will know to keep updated.”

“And then what?” I said, probing for his intent.

Flint looked away. “I’ve left ssages with our photos asking for her to co ho, nothing more. I’m sticking by my words and I’m here to stay Brock,” he said firmly.

I raised an eyebrow at that and t his gaze. He didn’t flinch or quaver which was a damn good sign.

I felt sothing relax within . “That’s… good.” I searched around for sothing else to say and had to settle for. “Suzie and the others would be devastated if you left,” I said.

Flint nodded solemnly. “I know, and I’m not doing that to them. I’m their father and I’m going to be here for them, but… well I thought you should know about… Lola,” he said.

I nodded. “Yeah, yeah thanks for keeping in the loop,” I said. “I have to go, good luck with your work today,” I said thinking he might be doing sothing with garock Inc.

Flint smiled. “Thanks! I’m going in for a music recital that Yolanda is doing! She’s getting very good with her guitar!” he said.

With the taphorical ground no longer shifting under at this line of conversation I felt myself relax fully as we talked about family. Or more specifically the younger mbers of our family. They were safe, easy topics.

Flint happily filled in on Yolanda and how she’d continued to busk sotis with Crystal and Greta while they spent ti in the battlecourts out the front. Crystal surprisingly enough, had a really good voice that went well with Yolanda’s performances.

I made a ntal note to check in on that. I hadn’t heard it from the other Gym trainers but then again the girls could be sneaking about things like this sotis. Flint knew though…

“Oh! And Billy and Tilly made so rather nice drawings the other day! I have them up in my room! Timmy and Suzie have been making macaroni artworks themselves. Oh! Oh! Did you know Salvadore’s grades are so good, the school is considering him for an award on pokemon studies? He’s apparently top of the class and the teachers think it could co down to him or another young boy with young Lyla, who’s Mrs Shaft’s granddaughter, getting top of the class this year with how she’s been going!

I blinked at this deluge of information. “Huh, really,” I said, impressed with Salvadore’s progress from last year where he hadn’t been scoring so well. It seed getting his interest and enjoynt up was paying a lot of dividends. I’d need to find a way to reward this. The question beca, how?

Flint spent a few minutes filling in on other small milestones that were occurring within the family, such as Tommy becoming popular in his class or Cindy coming second in a running race.

It felt… nice being able to have a normal conversation like this.

Then again it was still a conversation that was probably more reminiscent of two estranged n acting as parents than what should occur between a father and a son, but I had to say that I rather liked it. Flint seed to enjoy it.

In the end, I had to hang up as I was due to start ‘grading’ so of the Pewter Academy students back at the Gym.

I returned to the Gym to find Alexa conversing with one of the chaperones that had co with the afternoon’s worth of students.

For Pewter Tech, this ant a whole six of them.

Alexa looked a little worried so I wandered over to see what the issue was.

“Hey there Alexa, what’s up?” I said.

Alexa gave a vain smile and swallowed. “Uhmmm, I might have ssed up Brock,” she said, her eyes dipping to the side furtively.

“Ho? You realised your prank against the Headmaster might be a bit much for the kids?” I said.

Alexa coughed. “I knew you weren’t going to make it about them! It was just to create pressure on the headmaster!” she said not liking that I was calling out perhaps the biggest downside of her gambit.

I humd. “I see.” I glanced towards the teacher. “So, is there sothing wrong? I’m Brock by the way,” I said, extending my hand to shake.

The woman shook it with a sort of dazed expression. “Uhmmm, I know that? You’re the Gym Leader,” she said before muttering to herself. “Who doesn’t know that these days,” she said in what probably wasn’t ant to be such a loud whisper.

I coughed into my fist. “Sorry, it’s just sothing I try to keep up doing. I’m not great at it but yeah, stay grounded and such,” I said while chuckling. “Nothing brings you crashing back down as expecting people to know who you are, only to get this blank look and ‘who are you’ comnt,” I said.

The woman giggled. “Well, in that case, I am Mrs Harriet Hooper. I teach at Pewter Tech and well the issue was that we didn’t restrict who could apply for the Gym badges… I’m afraid that one of our… non-battling students decided to put their na down and it wasn’t caught until just now,” she said contritely.

I shrugged. “So a kid that doesn’t typically fight wants to have a trial match. I don’t see the issue.” I narrowed my eyes, “Unless this is a tracking and ‘prestige’ issue for the school,” I said.

I could recall a lot of ‘standardised tests in my past life, whereas children we’d cruelly joked that the less school-inclined students should call in sick, or not take part. The school had rightly not done anything of the sort and in fact supported those who had tried.

If the school was blocking a student I was going to have to investigate.

Thankfully Mrs Hooper shook her head. “No, Saul is a good student, rather precocious, but… he has health issues,” she said.

I raised an eyebrow. “I’m not following,” I said. My mind instantly tracked to Wally, who was a rival who had similar health issues that were never disclosed in the gas. I had always assud that it was rely tuberculosis, or perhaps polio.

Then again his health had drastically improved from spending ti journeying around.

“Saul is extrely weak from a disease that he contracted as a child. We think there was sothing involving a Muk exposure but we were never sure. His mother was distraught and has given him the best treatnts available up and including so… rather experintal procedures. If he becos too excited he will fade quickly. The fear is that with white outs he could be pushed too far,” Mrs Hooper said.

“Ah, I can see the issue,” I said. “I suppose there’s sothing of a risk and reward issue at foot.”

Mrs Hooper blinked slowly. “Ah?” she said but I was already tossing around thoughts.

“There would be greater strain on his energy at the lower levels with the body, or in this case his energy reserves not being used to helping with a pokemon, but if he could improve this gradually to the level of a normal trainer where a complete team wipe not resulting in whiting out, he could probably be a lot better off,” I surmised.

Was that what had happened with Wally? Perhaps it was. Most trainers that advanced to the fourth badge were in good health, even those that didn’t outwardly appear so due to excessive visceral body fat.

Under that layer of fat however was typically an exceptionally strong body that could run and lift heavier than most people.

“Uhmmm, this hasn’t gone the way I thought it would,” said Mrs Hooper tentatively.

I coughed and looked at her. “Pardon?” I asked politely.

“It just sounds like… you’d be alright with facing him?” she said.

I nodded. “Oh yeah, I think I could control the match quite easily. I have a pokemon that is skilled enough. I’ll tell her about Saul’s situation and she’ll have it under control,” I said.

“Shouldn’t be any risk of whiting out,” I said.

“I thought with his impairnts…” she said, trailing off slowly.

I shook my head. “I understood that life can sotis be rough for people. The Gym was built with those in mind. Every level is accessible via a ramp or a lift with there being very few stairs apart from those found in the stands,” I said.

Alexa and Mrs Hooper blinked at this information. I chuckled. “You should read our pokenet page. I made sure that Rachel included it. We very much advertise it as a handicap accessible. Saul shouldn’t be an issue,” I said confidently. “Tell him we’re looking forward to seeing what he can muster against .”

Mrs Hooper smiled. “I think he’ll like that,” she said before bobbing her head in my direction and moving off.

I moved to walk off myself only to notice Alexa shooting a proud look, like I was one of her forr kindergarten students who’d done sothing comndable.

“If you want to praise I accept lollipops,” I said cheekily.

Alexa smiled and without missing a beat reached into her travel pouch and pulled out a rather large lollipop. “Oh damn,” I said. That thing was at least the size of my hand. “I can see why you were popular with the kids,” I said. “Did parents hate you for feeding the kids this much sugar?” I asked.

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Alexa giggled at my comnt. “Oh no, that’s all-natural. I make them myself and I only give them out before lunch to children. That gives them energy for the rest of the day to run around and play.”

“Huh,” clever,” I said as I gnawed on my giant piece of candy.

I led Alexa around to the battle area and Rachel spotted . “Candy?” she asked curiously only to turn hopeful eyes to Alexa. The older woman sighed and handed out a rainbow lollipop and before too long other Gym trainers who had been lingering around all had their cheeks full of so variety of sweet. Sohow Munchlax had turned up and he was rrily sitting next to with a huge lollipop; his stumpy little legs kicking over the edge of his seat as he munched away.

I finished my lollipop and clapped my hands to signal that I was ready. Rachel, mouth gumd up, shot a thumbs up and marched over to call in the first child.

Before I departed to one of the podiums I turned to Munchlax. “You should probably stick around for a bit. I’ll have Yolanda take you ho before the twins get ho,” I said.

I frowned when he licked his lips and nodded. “Munch!” His hands waving enthusiastically.

Where had that lollipop gone? I eyed his fur. Had he stuffed it away for safekeeping like he did sotis, or had he devoured it already? I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.

I typed out a ssage to make handling Munchlax beca Yolanda’s problem before marching to the podium.

From there it was business as usual, young boys and girls marched forward. So of them had a cockiness to them that I could identify as brittle and shallow rely from a glance. I’d spent too long fighting young trainers to be deceived by the trim uniform and airs they put on.

Maybe a few years ago I might have.

I could see what Alexa ant when she said she had aligned the list of trainers that were to face by least to most likely to succeed.

These students’ had issues. They were either overly lazy, hadn’t studied enough, or were hoping to coast by on stronger pokemon.

I was able to quickly bring them down to earth. Knowing how to do sothing, and actually achieving it were two very different things.

When I sent out Moxy the fifth ti the student that I was facing smirked. “Heh! This’ll be easy!” they chid before sending out a Poliwhirl.

“Moxy! Rock Polish into roll out evasion!” I called and she’d gone into a fast roll that had Poliwhirl twirling and spinning before it had slipped over.

“Now!” I called making Moxy pounce and hamr a one-two combination of punches into the downed pokemon.

The kid stiffened up as his Poliwhirl collapsed. “Eh!?” she said. “But the typing difference…” she said.

I huffed. “Isn’t everything. It is a powerful advantage but you need to be able to make the most of it. Your Poliwhirl was still unstable on its feet. You haven’t spent much ti making it run around since it evolved. It hasn’t developed as much as it should have.”

When she blinked at clueless I just shook my head. “If you’d opened a book on your own pokemon instead of just my own pokemon, you’d have known that.” I waved a hand. “Send out your next pokemon, if you can’t complete this match with the three pokemon you’re restricted to, you won’t be passing today,” I said.

Unlike normal challenges where trainers could wear down with up to six pokemon to ‘win the match’, the academy wanted its students to showcase their skills. I had to admit when I’d first faced off against them I’d been amused at first. That amusent had slowly morphed into respect.

It was a thod of helping the kids grow.

The next pokemon out was a Weepingbell, which I rcilessly launched into the air to highlight that this student hadn’t done all of the howork that she should have. “You don’t know how to make your pokemon land properly,” I said as Weepingbell slamd into the ground.

The girl returned her pokemon and looked at with tear-filled eyes. “I didn’t think you’d be this an!” she said.

“Welco to life,” I said back rcilessly. Her final pokemon was, sadly for her, a bad choice with it being a Venomoth.

This pokemon she seed more comfortable with as she had it dodge and evade the oncoming Rock throws that Moxy unleashed. She made work for the win and in doing so she earned a small nod. “That was more like it. That Venomoth obviously had so work put into it,” I said approvingly.

“So that ans you recognise ?” she said, perking up.

“Nope,” I said. “You failed, I’m sorry but you’re going to have to sit a refresher and rechallenge my gym or another to earn your badge,” I said.

“What?! No! I had holiday plans! I don’t want to lose out on the mid circuit break! Mrs Hooper!” the girl whirled about and I tracked the look to find Mrs Hooper sitting to the side… looking like all her christmas’ had co early.

“Oooooooh nooooo, that’s horrible Beckie!” said Mrs Hooper in what had to be the fakest tone of commiseration I think I’d ever heard. She raised a large soda and took a long drink while staring right at Beckie’s distraught face. She then smacked her lips and smiled. “Such a sha.”

Damn, that was… a lot more savage than I’d been expecting of the woman that had been worried about another student only an hour or so prior. Was Mrs Hooper a bit two-faced, or was Beckie such a brat that seeing her struggle and get called on her lack of preparation gratifying?

I had a feeling I knew which it was, as for all the other students I’d seen Mrs Hooper rely watching on. When they’d walked off saddened at their defeats and lack of badge she’d quickly consoled them and helped reaffirm the lessons I’d handed down at the end.

Except for Beckie, Beckie’s defeat she was without a doubt savouring.

I coughed to clear my throat and Mrs Hooper grimaced before adopting a more conciliatory facial expression. “Well Beckie, it’s like the other teachers and I have been saying to you for a while now. You need to do more than just the bare minimum and hope that others will help you get by. We can co up with—”

“I don’t want a life lesson, I want my Boulder Badge! Do you have any idea how much of a social outcast I’m going to be because of this!?”

Mrs Hooper sighed and shut her eyes, for all intents and purposes going to her happy place as Beckie stomped her foot and raged.

I toggled the podiums to drift back to the stands where I then toggled another feature which had it tilting so that Beckie’s podium slowly angled up until she was gently deposited off.

“Bwah?” she said as she stumbled. “What? No! I want a reset!” she demanded.

Mrs Hooper collected the girl deftly. “You, like the others will get another chance at the end of next week,” she said.

“Next Week?!” shrieked Beckie.

Mrs Hooper stared the girl down. “Control your volu young lady, or I will be calling your parents about a detention on top of your make up classes!” she said firmly.

Beckie made a noise like an old kettle boiling over before dashing towards the doors.

“Young lady, you are not cleared to run off!” called Mrs Hooper with a steely tone.

“Want so sparkies?” asked Rachel, offering a bag of sweets having co over to the railing where my podium was located.

“Sure,” I said, taking it and enjoying the show of Beckie and Mrs Hooper. I could see that a good portion of the regulars who ca to enjoy matches were likewise chowing down. It made for decent enough entertainnt watching a young girl have a tantrum while not having to lift a finger.

Mrs Hooper magnificently curtailed the girl’s worse antics and preempted her on a few points such as calling her parents or posting on the pokenet how she’d been robbed by alerting Beckie that there was a cara feed for everything she was doing.

Beckie stiffened at that and slowly turned to the corner where a caraman was idly pointing in their direction. Beckie’s face and legs crumbled. “My life is over!” she wailed, collapsing on the sidewalk.

Mrs Hooper put her hands together and looked up. “Lord Arceus, give strength,” she whispered, perhaps a little too loudly.

I stopped eating candy and being a bystander, deciding this had gone on for long enough. I stepped to the side, waved and made a gesture to ask if she needed help.

Mrs Hooper took a long mont to consider it before shaking her head. “No Beckie, your life is not over, it’s very much just beginning. Co on, you’ve fallen over, now what cos next?”

Beckie peeked up uncertainly only to find Mrs Hooper’s hand offered. “I thought you hated ?”

“You test child, and Arceus knows that sotis I don’t handle things perfectly, but eh, that’s what being alive is about. You handle things as best as you can so of the ti and other tis just have to take what you can.” her hand bobbed up and down in invitation. “Now, let’s stand up and work out how you’re going to fix this issue going forward.”

Beckie reached out and allowed herself to be helped up. When she glanced around and realised how much of a spectacle she’d made herself she blushed and tucked her head in. Mrs Hooper guided her back to the rest of the students where they sat off to the side and tucked their heads together to have a conversation.

Hmmm, I had to give Mrs Hooper so credit, she was trying to be good in tough circumstances. Hopefully, the wake up call of this loss would help her students evaluate themselves.

I looked for Rachel and straightened up. “Right, last one?” I asked.

Rachel nodded and skipped to the side. “And now for today’s final match! Give it up for Pokemon Technical student and all-around heartbreaker, Saul!”

No music played to announce Saul which I found to be an odd choice. Instead, Saul’s advancent down the tunnel to the podium was proceeded by the steady clack-clack of tal on concrete.

mories of my past life stirred letting know what I was about to see monts before Saul stepped, or rather crutched his way forward.

Saul walked forward, slightly bent and crooked but still upright for a kid. His dark hair was swept back with sweat glistening on his head as he struggled to march forward.

I stood and watched him put foot and crutch forward, his legs holding for a mont before they had to brace where they invariably popped a little to the side only for the other crutch to co down. If you looked past the crutches and the unhealthy gait, Saul also had a sickly colouration with being too pale and thin.

He must have so spunk in him to ask for Rachel to announce him how he did though. Also, there was nothing but desire in his gaze as he lurched towards the podium. I subtly triggered a dical call to make Chansey poke her head out in case he didn’t make it.

Chansey poked her head out, saw the kid and started moving towards him only for to raise a hand to ward her off. She shot a confused look but took a mont to look around. When she got a good enough grasp on the situation she moved up into the stands where she opened up a magazine and pretended to read through it.

A few people shot her looks only to glance in my direction and nod.

Saul only took two minutes or so to reach the podium and when he got there he clutched the railing and braced himself. He exhaled in relief and took a deep breath before straightening up. “Whew! Make a guy work for it, why don’t you?” he called out.

I considered how I wanted to play this. I could joke around with him or I could play it straight.

I decided to be the straight man, making sure he got the sa, albeit with a few more safety nets in place. “That’s rather the point, you wish to challenge my Gym for the Boulder badge?”

“No, I got lost on the way to the hospital and ended up here! Where’s my Nurse Joy?” he snarked back sarcastically with a grin to show he didn’t an it.

I felt my lips twitch in amusent. The kid had an attitude that I could enjoy.

“Hmmmm don’t get too confident,” I said sternly as I crossed my arms. “Things are rocky around here.”

“Good! Let’s shake, rattle and roll!” he said, making his legs twitch as he said this. “I’m rather good at that!” he called as he pulled out a pokeball and held it up towards in challenge.

I nodded, locking eyes and liking what I was seeing. I toggled the podiums to move into the proper position, signalling to all that this battle was happening.

Saul glanced to the side as the podiums moved, a smile forming on his face. When he stood across from properly I raised my own pokeball. “Saul? You have challenged my Gym, this match is at a third-badge level, are you ready?”

“As I’ll ever be!” he said giddily.

I nodded and sent out my best choice. “Go Izumi!” I called.

Saul tossed his own pokeball. “Go! Chicho!” he shouted, sending out a small pokemon. A few people in the crowd murmured at the choice but with what I knew of the pokemon and Saul’s condition, it actually made a lot of sense.

Heal Bell would suit a health-impaired person extrely well. Healing Pulse for group battles. Not to ntion Healing Wish, which if he could learn to copy Link would be a very powerful move… Hmmm, food for thought.

“Chicho! Use Confusion!” Saul shouted. Chicho raised up so debris from earlier battles and launched it at Izumi.

“Izumi, Defence Curl,” I said, making her tuck up for the incoming attack. She absorbed the hits before I flicked my fingers to the side. “Roll Out dust storm,” I said. I kept my eyes on Saul in case the dust triggered a coughing fit or any breathing issues.

Saul straightened his own gaze tracking after Izumi. “Urgh, can’t see her so I can’t hit her… But she can’t hit Chicho with dig either,” he muttered.

With him hesitating Chicho floundered and I snapped my fingers causing Izumi to shoot two rocks into the smaller pokemon causing it to cry out in pain and flounder lower so that its tail was dragging on the ground. “Uhm… Baton Pass!” Saul called straight away.

Chicho vanished in a burst of light and in its place a Magnemite appeared. I whistled, very interested in this choice. Most people never dared bringing out an electric type against , but Magenemite had two points of difference.

It was electric-steel, and it also levitated naturally, making it impossible for moves like Earthquake and Dig to properly hit without so tricks employed.

“Swift!” Saul said.

Stars ford around his pokemon and were launched into Izumi who made a point to cry out and stop rolling around and causing as much dust to fly up. Izumi shot a look and I subtly shook my head. She rolled back up and punched her fists to show she was still able to fight.

“Dude!” she cried out.

Saul leaned forward, his eyes bright as he gave his next command. “Electro Ball!” he commanded.

His pokemon ford up an electrical ball and blasted it straight at Izumi. I didn’t even have her react, instead choosing to stand and ignore it. As the electrical discharge sparked off her she made a show of stretching and yawning.

“I have to say, I was impressed up until you used that move,” I said, pretending like I hadn’t noticed how his Magnemite had moved a little closer. While everyone had been tracking the Electro Ball.

Saul paused to wipe the sweat from his eyes. “Huh? Oh, really? I didn’t see too much impressive on display yet!” he said.

I waggled a hand. “It shows in your prep work. It’s subtle but you’ve chosen two good pokemon so far for this exchange. I’m curious to see what else you’ve prepared,” I said as I decided I’d spent enough ti talking. “Izumi! Nail them with Rock Throw!”

Izumi did just that, knocking Magenite back a little. Saul growled. “Electro Ball again! Trust the plan!” Saul called and once again a move that had no purpose but as a distraction shot forward.

Once again Mageite raced forward while everyone else watched the ball, when they looked up they were surprised to see Magnemite almost hovering atop Izumi.

“Supersonic!” called Saul and from close range his pokemon’s attack couldn’t be dodged.

I nodded in approval but still gave my order. “Mud Slap!”

Izumi’s fist shot up and slamd into Magnemite causing it to crash to the ground with a wail of pain. Saul returned it quickly and pulled out another pokeball.

“It’s up to you Pineco!” called Saul.

I held back a grimace. So far, Saul had shown that despite it appearing like he was making a mistake he was still making a move forward or advancing his plan in so manner. Pineco might be bad as a Bug type, but it had so potential. It all ca down to if it knew a certain move.

“Rock Throw,” I said firmly.

Izumi drew her fist back and Saul called his own order. “Gyro Ball!” he called.

Izumi threw her Rock Throw into the ground, well away from where Pineco was, showing that Saul’s earlier plan to use Magnemite was well thought out. Pineco slamd into Izumi and sent her flying.

This ti when she looked up she did so very groggily showing that it had been a damn good hit. I winked and she slumped and just like that a flag shot up.

“Izumi is unable to battle!” announced Yolanda.

Saul straightened up and I could see the hope shining in his eyes. I tilted my head and considered the sequence of events. “You were building up a lot into this mont, weren’t you?” I asked.

He nodded his head. “Yeah, I was,” he said, wiping a hand across his forehead.

I nodded. “Let’s see if you can do it again,” I said, sending out my next pokemon in the form of an Aron.

Saul slumped and I nodded. He’d done his research and with the pokemon he had available, he wasn’t going to win. He’d been hoping for sothing like Onix no doubt.

He still put up a fight but it was easy to dismantle his Pineco with one move hitting it. With Pineco out he stood drawing in breaths. He considered his two pokeballs before shaking his head. “I… forfeit,” he said.

I nodded and lowered the podiums so I could approach him. “You fought well, but sadly your endurance wasn’t up to the task,” I said.

Saul gave a weak smile. “Story of my life.”

I nodded. “You ca in with a very good plan that would work out better with a few tweaks. Your Pineco must be close to evolving, that is if it learnt Gyro Ball naturally,” I said.

Saul blinked. “Yeah, it learned it naturally. And do you really an that?” he asked, staring up at my taller fra. “You can tell that just from knowing it knows that move?”

I nodded. “Yup, I’m guessing it’s close, it just needs a little more ti and you’ll have a very strong pokemon, especially with that Gyro Ball move,” I said.

“Huh, neat,” he said only to blink when I offered him the badge. “I think you’ve demonstrated enough—”

“I don’t want your pity,” he said bitingly.

“It’s not,” I replied firmly, eting his gaze. “You must get a lot of that with your condition, but this isn’t that. You demonstrated you knew enough and were able to put in practice, that knowledge enough for to justify it.”

Saul shifted and looked guilty. “Is it wrong to take it? I won’t end up in redial class like the other kids but…”

I shrugged. “It’s up to you,” I said.

“I think… I want this to prove to others that I’m not wrong,” he said.

“I put the badge in his hand. “Well, you are not wrong to want challenges like this. Saul, I’m glad you ca today.”

I then put a hand to his shoulder. “I think you’re doing great, keep it up and I know you’ll get there. If you want you can co around here next week and spend so ti with the other trainers,” I offered. “I think that Pineco at least is close so a bit of ti would do you wonders,” I said.

He smiled. “I think I’d like that.” He then looked back over his shoulder. “Can you uhmmm raise the podium? I don’t think I can manage the stairs.”

I chuckled and did just that. He walked back to Mrs Hooper and the others with a lot more pep in his step than the other kids had when they returned to Mrs Hooper. His new badge was proudly on display which caused the others to congratulate him on his showing.

It had been a strong, clever showing and sothing that I had no doubt would have him walking tall for days to co.

I finished the day feeling very good only to get a surprise when Sabrina teleported behind .

“We need to talk,” she said.

Damn, those were words a boyfriend never wanted to hear.